


Home

by iwillrunforever



Category: DCU, Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M, Kidnapping, M/M, Torture, Violence, gender neutral reader, usual gotham stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27352762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwillrunforever/pseuds/iwillrunforever
Summary: You and Jerome were the star couple of Arkham and of the Maniax - at least until you left. But Theo Galavan doesn’t like betrayal.
Relationships: Jerome Valeska/Reader, Jerome Valeska/You
Kudos: 13





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> this was a request on my tumblr @ficklefics !

Jerome and you had known how risky it would be to leave Galavan – to leave the relative safety of his penthouse apartment, the protection, the funding, all to go it alone in Gotham with nothing but each other. But Jerome also knew that you were right; Galavan would never have let him live, would never have given him the success he’d been promised. So there had been no other option.

The abandoned apartment you ended up in was comfortable enough. Not as good as the penthouse, but better than Arkham. And you were together. That was all that mattered.

_I’m going to go out and get some food. I’ll be back soon._

That was what you had said three hours ago. And Jerome was starting to worry.

He would never admit to caring about anyone – attachments weren’t in his nature – but you were important to him. You understood him like no one else ever had. He noticed you the very first day you arrived at Arkham. Keeping your head down, trying to hide in the hostile environment. But when you lifted your eyes and looked at him, he could see the fire inside. The chaos that screamed _Stay away if you know what’s good for you._

So, of course, his first move the next day was to sit next to you. You refused to talk, but you didn’t make him leave, so he filled the silence with his own ramblings about nothing. Anything to make the time pass quicker.

After a few days of this, he heard your voice.  
“Look, there are plenty more interesting people here than me. Why don’t you go bother them?”  
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He grinned, nudging you with his shoulder. You shot him a harsh glare out of the corner of your eyes but that didn’t put him off. “I think you’re the most interesting person here.”  
“And why’s that?” You straightened up, looking directly at him for the first time since you had arrived.  
“Look around,” He gestured dramatically to the rest of the inmates, insane criminals itching for a chance to escape, or even just to fight, “Everyone here is boring. Predictable. The same.”  
“And I’m not?”  
“Who knows, maybe.” He shrugged. “But not yet.”

After that, you were stuck with him. You grew to like him, despite his inability to stop talking and his tendency to invade your personal space. And after you were broken out, the freedom lead to something more. Jerome had come back after the attack on the GCPD, still soaked in blood, and when you asked him how it went, he kissed you. A surprisingly enjoyable experience. From then on, that’s just how you were. No titles, no technicalities. But you were inseparable, sitting next to each other at meals, sharing a room, spending every spare moment connected at the hip.

When you had gone to Jerome after eavesdropping on Galavan and Tabitha, after hearing that they planned for Jerome to die at the gala, he believed you immediately. You packed up what you could, two small bags of weapons, food, and cash, and fled.

Bringing you to the apartment where Jerome was pacing. Channelling his anxiety into nervous energy. You should have been back by now. Something must have happened.

When his burner phone rang, he leapt at it, answering before it had a chance to ring twice.  
“(Y/N)?”   
“Not quite.” His scowl deepened at the sound of Theo Galavan’s smug voice.  
“What have you done with them?” Jerome growled.   
“(Y/N) is fine, for now. Well, a bit bruised, and drowsy from that knock on their head, but other than that they’re in perfect health.” He could tell Galavan was enjoying this. “But I can’t promise they won’t get worse rather quickly if you don’t cooperate.”  
“What do you want?” Jerome was already pulling on a stolen leather jacket with his free hand and grabbing a gun from the sofa.   
“I’m getting there,” He chuckled. “Your life for theirs. A fair deal, no?”  
Jerome gritted his teeth – he wasn’t the self-sacrificing type. But that wouldn’t stop him from trying to save you. “Fine. Where are you?”  
“Excellent. Here’s the address.”

*

Every inch of your body felt bruised. There was dried blood on your temple. The room you were in was dark. Rough ropes kept you upright, tied to a wooden chair. You were alone.

“Fucking cowards,” You spat.  
“Is that what you think of me?” A bright light flickered on overhead, blinding you momentarily, and revealing Theo Galavan as suave and smarmy as ever.   
“Cowards is too good a word.” You glared at him. “What have you done with Jerome?”  
“Oh, he’ll be here soon.” Galavan checked his expensive watch before looking you up and down. “You won’t be seeing him though.”  
“What do you mean?”   
“He, in his foolishness, is planning to trade his life for yours. But I have no intention of letting either of you go. An example must be made.” He wags a finger at you as though he’s telling you off. “No one betrays me.” You strain against the ropes, wishing you could bash his head into the concrete floor. “It was inevitable really. You’re both too volatile to be kept alive. It was nice knowing you, (Y/N).”

He left and was replaced by a burly goon who cracked his knuckles at the sight of you.  
“Bring it on, big boy.” You snarled. His first blow hit your jaw and threw your head to the side. You felt something crunch and spit out blood and a cracked tooth. Your eyes widened at the sight of it on the ground. “That was my favourite tooth!”

*

The building was silent. Jerome stood outside, prepared to kill every person he saw to get to you. He pushed through the heavy metal door and into darkness. The lights were dim, but his eyes adjusted quickly to the corridor before him.   
“Where are you Galavan?!” He yelled into nothing. There was no response, so he kept walking.

_Click_.

Behind him. The safety of a gun being released. Time seemed to move in slow motion. Jerome spun around, pulling his gun from his jacket, and fired at the sound. Straight into the chest of a faceless henchman, who fell to the ground from the impact, wheezing. Jerome knelt down by the body and pulled him up by his shirt.   
“Where is Galavan? Where is (Y/N)?”   
The man just coughed, blood spotting his chin. Jerome groaned in frustration and dropped him to the ground heavily, leaving him there to bleed out.

Continuing through the building Jerome was on edge. He needed to find you, and quickly.

Ducking around a corner he came to a door. He could hear yelling behind it, screaming, the thud of flesh on flesh. You were being torture.

Jerome burst through, ready for a massacre. What he found was a screen connected to a security camera, and on the screen was you, your face beaten into a bloody pulp.  
“What did you expect Jerome?” He turned to find Galavan. Immediately he pointed the gun at him, but the older man just laughed.   
“Where are they?”   
“Nearby.”  
“I’m here now. Let them go.”  
“Are you really that naïve? I knew you weren’t that smart, but this…” Galavan pulled a face, almost as though he was disappointed.   
“At least let me see her.” Jerome didn’t like to beg, but he couldn’t kill Galavan until he knew he could save you.   
“I suppose there’s no harm in it.” He shrugged. “But give me your gun. No tricks.”

Jerome handed over the weapon and Galavan tucked it away before walking out of the room. Jerome followed him down the corridor until he could hear the sounds again, this time clearer, more present. Galavan knocked on the door before he opened it.

And there you were. Your head bent, your chest heaving. The other man stood by.   
“And now-”

He didn’t let Galavan finish. He pounced on the bastard, wrapping an arm around his neck in a vice grip, reaching for the gun. The other man stepped forward but he was unarmed. An easy kill. Galavan sputtered and gasped for air.   
“What did you expect would happen, Theo? _Are you really that naïve?_ ” Jerome hissed in his ear before throwing him to the ground.   
“Jerome, wait-” A single shot. Right between his eyes. _Too quick._ But Jerome had to get to you. You didn’t seem to be moving.

He knelt down in front of you, lifting your head, checking that you were still alive. Your eyes fluttered open, staring at him in shock.  
“Jerome?”  
“Right here.”  
“You’re an idiot.” You groaned.   
“You’re welcome,” He grumbled sarcastically as he stood up and untied the ropes. You slumped forward but he caught you, helping you sit up straight.   
“I knew you’d come.” Your smile may have been bloody, your face a mess of bruises, but it was the most beautiful thing Jerome had ever seen.  
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” He cradled your face roughly and kissed you, despite all the blood and gore. You returned the kiss as though he was oxygen, as though you couldn’t live without him. When he finally pulled away his face was covered in your blood, making you laugh. “Let’s get you home.”

_Home._


End file.
